Incentive compatibility tests of choice experiment value elicitation questions

This paper uses laboratory experiments with induced values to address fundamental issues related to the incentive compatibility of choice experiment value elicitation questions. In particular, we compare two- versus three-option choice sets and the effect of using alternative provision rules, including one where the outcome is influenced by both participant and “regulator” votes. We find the overall proportion of choices that are inconsistent with induced preferences is rather low. However, there are more deviations from induced preferences for two-option choice sets, and for alternatives to a simple plurality vote implementation rule. A multinomial probit analysis of choices in tandem with a mixed logit welfare analysis suggests there is a statistically significant but modest degree of bias towards selecting the status quo option.     

Phylogenetic relationships of coral-associated gobies (Teleostei,Gobiidae) from the Red Sea based on mitochondrial DNA data

Bryaninops, Gobiodon, Paragobiodon and Pleurosicya are the most abundant genera of coral-associated gobies. These genera are adapted to live among coral, while other small reef gobies (e.g., the genus Eviota) show no obligate association with this living substrate. Thirteen coral-associated species and two Eviota species were sampled from different regions of the Red Sea, along with four populations/species of Gobiodon from the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. A molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using partial sequences of 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome b mitochondrial genes, 1,199 base pairs in total. Several clades were consistently resolved in neighbor joining-, maximum parsimony-, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. While each of the four genera Gobiodon, Paragobiodon, Bryaninops and Pleurosicya proved to be monophyletic, their relative position in the phylogeny did not support an emergence of coral-associated gobiids as a monophyletic assemblage. Instead, two separate monophyletic sub-groups were discovered, the first comprising Gobiodon and Paragobiodon, and the second Bryaninops and Pleurosicya. Our molecular phylogenetic examinations also revealed one unassigned species of Gobiodon from the Maldives as a distinct species and confirmed three putative and yet unassigned species from the Red Sea. Moreover, the uniformly black colored species of Gobiodon are not monophyletic but have evolved independently within two distinct species groups. Genetic distances were large in particular within Pleurosicya and Eviota. Estimated divergence times suggest that coral-associated gobies have diversified in parallel to their preferred host corals. In particular, divergence times of Gobiodon species closely match those estimated for their typical host coral genus Acropora.     

(Z)-Dodec-3-en-1-ol, a common major component of the trail-following pheromone in the termites Kalotermitidae

(Z)-Dodec-3-en-1-ol has been identified as the major component of the trail-following pheromone of nine species of Kalotermitidae belonging to six different genera, suggesting that this compound represents a common signal in this family of termites. The homogeneous nature of trail-following pheromones of Kalotermitidae well agrees with the monophyly of this family. It also supports the postulated position of this family as a sister group of the Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, which also secrete C12-alcohols as trail-following pheromones. The significance of a trail pheromone in termites of the ‘one-piece’ life type, which spend their whole life within the same piece of wood, is discussed.     

Comparative study of the fate and mobility of metals discharged in mining and urban effluents using sequential extractions on suspended solids

The fate, bioavailability and environmental impacts of metals discharged in municipal and mining wastewater discharge will depend to a large extent on chemical speciation and distribution. Previous studies on metal bioaccumulation have shown that total metal concentrations are not a good predictor of bioavailability in the dispersion plumes of municipal effluents. The objective of this study was to determine the solid phase speciation of metals in surface waters receiving urban and mining effluents in order to assess their fate and relative mobility in the receiving environment. Suspended particulate matter was sampled using sediment traps at several sites downstream of effluent outfall plumes as well as at reference upstream sites. Particulate metal in operationally defined fractions—exchangeable/carbonates, reducible, oxidisable and residual—were determined in suspended particulate matter with a series of selective chemical extractions. Metal enrichment in suspended particles was generally observed in both mining and urban effluent discharges. When compared to its receiving environment, the mining effluent appeared to release more particulate metals (Cu, Fe, Zn) in the most reactive fractions (i.e. exchangeable/carbonates + reducible forms, 23–43%), while other released metals, such as Cd and Mn, were predominantly in the least reactive forms (i.e., oxidisable + residual, 73–97%). In contrast, the reactivity of all particulate metals, with the exception of Mn, from the urban effluent was much higher, with up to 65, 42, 30 and 43% for Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn, respectively, in the two most reactive fractions. As expected in effluent dispersion plumes, parameters such as the organic carbon, Fe oxide and carbonate contents have specific effects on the partitioning of several trace metals, particularly Cd, Cu and Zn. Our results indicated that the relative distributions of metals among geochemical fractions varied in the effluent receiving waters where organic carbon and Fe oxides appeared as the most important parameters. This could therefore decrease the exposure for aquatic organisms that are exposed to those contaminated sediments as well as the risk to human health.     

Gasification of dried sewage sludge: status of the demonstration and the pilot plant

The disposal of sewage sludge from municipal waste water treatment plants is suffering from raising costs.The gasification is an alternative way of treatment, which can reduce the amount of solid residues that must be disposed from a water treatment plant. The produced gas can be used very flexible to produce electrical energy, to burn it very cleanly or to use it for upgrading.The gasification in the fluidised bed and the gas cleaning with the granular bed filter has shown successful operation. A demonstration plant in Balingen was set up in 2002 and rebuilt to a larger throughput in 2010. As a next step a demonstration plant was built in Mannheim and is now at the end of the commissioning phase. Nowadays the product gas is blended with biogas from sludge fermentation and utilized in a gas engine or combustion chamber to produce heat. In the future the process control for a maximized efficiency and the removal of organic and inorganic impurities in the gas will be further improved.     

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture: Who Stands to Benefit?

The use of genetic engineering inagriculture has been the source of much debate. Todate, arguments have focused most strongly on thepotential human health risks, the flow of geneticmaterial to related species, and ecologicalconsequences. Little attention appears to have beengiven to a more fundamental concern, namely, who willbe the beneficiaries of this technology? Given the prevalence of chronic hunger and thestark economics of farming, it is arguable thatfarmers and the hungry should be the mainbeneficiaries of agricultural research. However, theapplication of genetic engineering appears unlikely tobenefit either of these two groups. This technology islargely controlled by the private sector, and itscontinued development hinges on its profitability.Thus, the only likely beneficiaries of the applicationof genetic engineering in agriculture are companieswith the capacity to use it.     

Evaluation of ecological network analysis: Validation of output

Ecological network analysis (ENA) is a modeling approach increasingly being used to evaluate food webs and provide an ecosystem-based approach to resource management. Unfortunately, validation of ENA output is rarely performed. This study represents part of a larger effort to critically evaluate ENA. Here we validate ENA output using stable isotope analysis (SIA), and where validation is not met, determine the effects of modifying trophic networks to reflect validation.     

Sensitivity to assumptions in models of generalist predation on a cyclic prey

Ecological theory predicts that generalist predators should damp or suppress long-term periodic fluctuations (cycles) in their prey populations and depress their average densities. However, the magnitude of these impacts is likely to vary depending on the availability of alternative prey species and the nature of ecological mechanisms driving the prey cycles. These multispecies effects can be modeled explicitly if parameterized functions relating prey consumption to prey abundance, and realistic population dynamical models for the prey, are available. These requirements are met by the interaction between the Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) and three of its prey species in the United Kingdom, the Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis), the field vole (Microtus agrestis), and the Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus). We used this system to investigate how the availability of alternative prey and the way in which prey dynamics are modeled might affect the behavior of simple trophic networks. We generated cycles in one of the prey species (Red Grouse) in three different ways: through (1) the interaction between grouse density and macroparasites, (2) the interaction between grouse density and male grouse aggressiveness, and (3) a generic, delayed density-dependent mechanism. Our results confirm that generalist predation can damp or suppress grouse cycles, but only when the densities of alternative prey are low. They also demonstrate that diametrically opposite indirect effects between pairs of prey species can occur together in simple systems. In this case, pipits and grouse are apparent competitors, whereas voles and grouse are apparent facilitators. Finally, we found that the quantitative impacts of the predator on prey density differed among the three models of prey dynamics, and these differences were robust to uncertainty in parameter estimation and environmental stochasticity.     

14C标记的月桂酸盐在淡水勾虾（Hyalella azteca）中的生物富集、代谢及空间分布

对水的生物蓄积性监管评估通常是基于鱼类流水暴露试验得出生物浓缩因子（BCF）。这样的实验需要很多实验动物,而且费时费钱。最近,有人提出了一种替代性的有机中性化合物的测试方法,即用勾虾（Hyalella azteca）进行测试得到BCF值,该值与鱼类 BCF值有很强的相关性。本文研究了离子化合物月桂酸盐在H. azteca中的生物浓缩潜力。 采用流动和半静态的方法对勾虾H. azteca进行1-14C-月桂酸钠暴露实验。由于该化合物的生物降解速度快,需要采用半静态方法,即频繁更换介质,以确保介质浓度稳定。月桂酸盐也可被H. azteca快速代谢。在勾虾组织中测得的总放射性中有很大一部分是不能提取的,这表明矿化月桂酸盐富集在H. azteca的钙化外骨骼中。这在使用14C标记的碳酸盐的进一步研究中得到了证实。以游离脂肪酸计量,月桂酸盐的脂质标准化（5.0%）的勾虾 BCF为8.9。H. azteca的生物浓缩研究结果证实了先前在鱼类中观察到的试验项目的低生物富集潜力。然而,需要测试更多的具有不同性质的有机离子化合物,以评估鱼和勾虾的BCF数据之间是否存在一般相关性。     

Potential correlation between perfluorinated acids and liver morphology in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

In this study, residual concentrations of chlorpyrifos (CPF) were determined in feed (40) and fodder (25) samples collected from various locations of Tarai region of Uttarakhand. For extracting residues, liquid–liquid partition followed by alumina column clean up was used and the detection and quantification of residues was undertaken with the help of high-performance liquid chromatography using C18 column and diode array detector at 220?nm. Of the total 40 feed samples analyzed, 7 (17.5%) samples were found positive for CPF with the mean residual concentration of 0.058?µg?g^?1; while out of 25 fodder samples, CPF residues were detected in a single (4%) sample with residual concentration of 0.39?µg?g^?1. However, none of the feed or fodder samples contained CPF residues above the prescribed limit.